


Power Base Predation

by Raiadel



Series: Jaesa's Awakening [3]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Belsavis, Belsavis storyline, Dark Side control, Dark Side corruption, Darker Jaesa, F/M, Feelings Realization, Force stealth, Lightsaber Battles, Trials, Vette's a matchmaker and loving it, dark side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 11:32:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9383177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raiadel/pseuds/Raiadel
Summary: Jaesa and the Warrior take to Belsavis, where Khryden’s first real execution as the Emperor’s Wrath awaits. Things don’t go quite as planned, and there’s a Jedi that keeps poking his nose into their business. Some of the Wrath’s background is revealed, Khryden flaunts his title, and Jaesa has a giggle attack in the middle of a maximum security vault.





	1. Wrath Unleashed

**Author's Note:**

> Well this took a lot longer than I expected. I went back and forth trying to decide how much of the story I wanted to include, but cutting out parts of it made it feel incomplete and I really wanted Belsavis to be the catalyst for a lot of things with it being the Warrior’s first true mission as the Emperor’s Wrath and all, and my document kept getting longer and longer…and well, here we are. As with my other works in this series, I take some dialogue straight from the game to keep that ‘real feel’ and rework other pieces to give them a little more flair. This doesn’t follow the storyline 100% concerning motivations and timings and all, but hey, if it did, I’d be bored writing it.

From the first moment Jaesa stepped out into the crisp fresh air, she had a strange feeling about Belsavis. And it wasn’t just the fact that a massive prison break was slowly taking over the planet, it was the entire atmosphere. While the world itself was lush and full of vegetation and animals, the climate was near freezing, a direct contradiction to what she’d expected. She wondered if the same could apply to their mission here. Despite herself, she shivered.

Khryden eyed her as he exited the shuttled himself, coming to stand next to her. “Are you sure you don’t want a cloak? The temperature will only fall as we leave the heated area of the outpost.”

Straightening, she scolded herself mentally for showing weakness with numerous Imperial officers around. “No, master. I will be fine. I have the Force to warm me. “ _And you_.

He glanced at her shrewdly, but didn’t push it. “Very well. I don’t want you to pull a muscle, but if you say you're ok, I trust you.”

He strode away to charter a taxi and Jaesa watched him go, a thrill of surprise lighting up her stomach. _I trust you_. Those simple words meant so much more than he probably was expecting. No one had ever said that to her before and meant it. Not the Jedi with their lowborn empty promises and lack of conviction, and not the Sith with their constant need to backstab one another to climb higher on the ladder. Maybe…maybe this is real.

Khryden glanced at her as she approached, his emotionless mask cracking just enough to let a small smile through just for her, the gesture warming her to her core. He depended on keeping his emotions in check, building up anger and fear until the time came for him to use it. Showing too much undue emotion in public, especially towards one person, gave his enemies an opening and marking that person as important to him. As master and apprentice, they were a potent combo, but as lovers, they were even more dangerous. An opponent seeking to undermine Lord Khryden would attempt to take away the source of his passion to make him unstable. So he kept their budding relationship on the low, and Jaesa respected that. She was growing more powerful by the day under his tutelage, but she knew she had to be careful not to overextend herself when there was so much on the line. Testing her limits was good, as Khryden often reminded her, but there was such a thing as going too far. _The more you know what you can achieve, the more power you wield_ , he had once said, _but there is a time and a place to test such parameters. The trick is knowing when it’s appropriate_.

He finished paying the taxi droid and headed to one of the far speeders, holding out his hand gallantly for Jaesa to take as she stepped inside. Her mouth twitched at the gesture and her laughing eyes met his swiftly as he followed her in, latching the door and buckling himself in the pilot’s seat.

“Who says chivalry isn't dead?” she murmured.

He chuckled warmly as he punched in the autopilot destination. “Only for you, my dear.”

She raised her eyebrows saucily. “And I’m supposed to believe you don’t do this to all the girls you bring on vacation?”

“Hell of a vacation spot I chose then,” he retorted, eyes dancing. “What’s more romantic than freezing weather, noxious flora and fauna, and guerilla warfare?”

Jaesa laughed aloud. “Oh, I have an idea. You should come false Sith hunting with me sometime. It’s very romantic when they fall lifeless at your feet. It really gets the blood pumping.”

An appreciating smile slid across his lips. “I might just do that. Just to watch you work if nothing else.”

Their speeder touched down in the Minimum Security Section and Khryden hopped out, brushing dust off his arm, and helped Jaesa down.

“Now then,” the warrior said, rubbing his gloved hands together. “Let’s go find this Colonel Trill, shall we?”

\--=+=--

The Emperor’s Wrath was in a good mood.

Not only had he discovered his first lead as to Melicoste’s whereabouts, but he had also performed his first kill as the Wrath since the late Colonel Trill had suffered conflicting loyalties. Jaesa almost couldn’t believe the woman’s blatant disrespect of the _Emperor’s Wrath_ of all people. If Khryden hadn’t killed the Colonel, Jaesa definitely would have.

As they entered, Lieutenant Kaid was less than thrilled to see them. Jaesa felt the fluttering thrill of adrenaline surge through her veins as Kaid ordered his men to attack and she and Khryden made short work of them.

The Wrath approached Kaid slowly, keeping one lightsaber lit and ready at his side. “You will answer my questions. If I like your answers, maybe I will let you live. Where is Lord Melicoste?”

Kaid’s face briefly screwed up in a grimace of unhappiness and pain. “Damn these Sith games,” he muttered. “This is a power play, isn't it. Lord Melicoste traveled to the records room in the high security sector. He is looking for the location of a former Dark Council member.”

Khryden’s eyebrows drew together. “He seeks Darth Ekkage?"

Kaid shrugged as best he could while cradling his cracked ribs. “I wouldn’t know, Sith—I mean, my lord. I am not privy to such information.”

Jaesa glanced from Kaid’s hunched form to Lord Khryden’s impassive face. She felt his decision as he made it and couldn’t stop the cruel grin from breaking through to her face.

“You have outlived your usefulness,” the Wrath intoned.

Kaid’s expression transformed into true panic. “No!”

Her master’s fiery orange lightsaber beheaded him swiftly and was extinguished before his head hit the floor.

“Have I ever mentioned how lovely it is watching you work?” Jaesa murmured.

Khryden clipped his hilt to his belt, barely sparing the body a second glance. “While every emotion gives us power, this was nothing more than taking out the trash. Given the chance, this insect would have run to Melicoste and have alerted him. There was nothing gained from his death, only a prevention of loss. A good Sith will spend ninety percent of his time preventing. The other ten percent should be spent preparing for any contingencies. Preparation is key, my dear.”

Jaesa frowned. “Are you saying I should draw no satisfaction from this kill?”

He shook his head lightly and reward her with a small smile. “Of course not. Draw on whatever gives you power, even if it is killing worms like this one. Just do not find fault in yourself if the emotional rewards ever begin to wane. You are still Sith, even if exterminating insects lacks its usual excitement.”

She paused for a moment, mulling over his words. “What really matters is the exhibition of my power when facing worthy opponents.”

His smile turned feral. “Precisely. They are means to an end. And that end is boosting your influence and power.”

\--=+=--

There were few guards milling around the building that held the records room and Jaesa and her master dispatched them quickly. The closer they got to their goal, the jumpier and more on edge Khryden seemed to get. The entire speeder ride over to the sector was silent was silent except for the soft clicks of her master’s nails tapping a rhythm against his lightsaber hilts. She had first thought he was angry with her, but his aura had a softer, more pensive quality. She had tentatively widened the Force bond between them, but sensed no annoyance, only impatience and nervousness. It seemed to heighten as they ditched the speeder a few hundred yards from the entrance to the building and took care of some wandering former inmates. She became aware of a disturbance in the Force as they neared the structure, and what felt like a dim buzzing sound behind her head.

He strode with a purpose into the building, using the mounted signs to direct his warpath to the records room. Jaesa had to practically jog to keep up with him. They made it to the antechamber of the records room before she was fed up. Putting a burst of speed into her walk, she grabbed his arm gently, pulling him to a stop.

He turned to face her, his face tense. “What?”

“Master,” she said soothingly, “what’s wrong? You haven’t seemed right since we left the speeder. Is something bothering you?”

Raw emotion clashed across his face for a split second before it was shoved behind his virtual mask. His first instinct had been to shove her off and order her be silent, the voice of his hotheaded Sith instincts. Then his logical sense broke through and he forced himself to relax. She squeezed his arm and felt him calm as he sensed her touch. He was still on edge, but no longer looked like he was going to behead the first person they came across.

“Do you feel it?” he murmured.

Her eyebrows drew together and she focused on the Force. Immediately, a buzzing presence invaded the back of her mind. It was different and all too familiar.

“Jedi,” she whispered.

He placed his hand on top of hers, trapping it in place. His golden eyes searched hers as he opened up the bond between them, allowing his emotions to flood her. She responded reactively in kind, allowing the sensations to travel between them. He half-closed his eyes, drawing power from their combined psyches.

_Yes, a Jedi. Close by. You sensed him too when we exited the speeder, I felt it. The feeling of wrongness._

_Then why do we pause? Let’s lure him out and destroy him!_

_Because I have the feeling that this situation is not all it seems. Just promise me you’ll follow my lead._

She dipped her head. _Of course, Khryden_.

Jaesa felt his pleasure at hearing her speak his name thorough the bond.

_Until we know a few things for certain, do not try to engage. He may try to turn you. Allow none of his verbal barbs to weaken your steadfastness._

She smirked _. I will be as statuesque as a Jedi._

Amusement emitted from him as he patted her hand once more and dropped it. Straightening, he cracked his neck and strode forward, punching some buttons on the console next to the door. The screen flashed red under his fingers and Khryden frowned, puzzled and concerned.

“The door’s stuck,” he explained as Jaesa peered over his shoulder. He glared at the door, grumbling, “I also can’t slice worth a damn and I don’t want to wait for Vette to get all the way over to this sector.”

Annoyance twisted his Force aura and he growled, slamming his open palm against the door. “Made of solid durasteel, too. It’ll take at least a couple hours to cut through with a lightsaber.”

A new voice suddenly floated to them from beyond the door. “H-Hello? Is someone there?”

Jaesa’s eyes snapped to Khryden’s as latent anger bubbled up inside her. _The Jedi_.

He nodded and made a placating motion. “That depends,” the Wrath said loudly, “on who is inside.”

There was a slight pause. “A word, then, please. I am Jedi Master Somminick Timmns. I know who you are, Sith, and why you’re here. But I’m afraid there’s a slight problem.”

Jaesa leaned back on a cocked hip and crossed her arms as Lord Khryden started to pace before the door. “I assume the Jedi Council has been keeping tabs on me?”

“Correct,” came the reply through the durasteel door. “Ever since your acquisition of Jaesa Willsaam and exposure of Master Nomen Karr, the Council has deemed you a person of interest. I was a padawan of Karr’s once. He and I forged a Force bond. I felt his darkness when you killed him, though it’s hard to imagine such a strong Jedi reduced to such a condition. Nevertheless, we are at a stalemate, Sith.”

Rage flared inside Jaesa. She was no item to be _acquired_. No, not anymore. With the Jedi, that’s all she had been to them. An item with powers to be used as they saw fit. Even Master Karr, such a _righteous_ Jedi according to Timmns, played her and used her for his own gains in his fight against Darth Baras. It was plain to see the Jedi hadn’t changed one bit since she had left. She was Sith now. She was finally where she was meant to be. Not an object, but a person. Not a servant of the galaxy, but a ruler. A monarch with none other than the Emperor’s Wrath by her side. And she would kill anyone and everyone that tried to come between them.

 _He didn’t give me credit for my first kill as a Sith apprentice_ , Jaesa murmured acidly to her master through the Force. _I’m rather put out_.

Khryden felt her flash of anger, but remained focused on the conversation. “A stalemate,” he repeated. “Explain.”

“I came to this vault for the same reason you have: to find information on Lord Melicoste’s actions concerning Darth Ekkage. While I was here, however, Melicoste’s commandos sealed me in.”

“You got trapped by a contingent of mere commandos? Weak. This is not your proudest day.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m still alive, which is more than I can say for most of them. And I achieved my goal in coming here. I have the information that you need and in order to get it you have to release me. Our combined strength will be enough to break the fused pieces if we strike the door from both sides. Trouble is, there’s a failsafe. It’s a force field that holds the door in place. If you disable the force field’s generators, though, the door will be openable.”

Khryden was frustrated, Jaesa could tell. To be so close to their goal and yet have another roadblock was tantalizing and maddening. But there was no other way either of them could think of that would work.

“If I do this, you’ll give me access to the information I need.”

“You have my word.” Jaesa could practically visualize the contrite expression on the Jedi’s face.

“Fine,” the Wrath ground out. “I will be back, Jedi. Try not to die in there.”

“Good!” came the chirpy reply. “It’s not like I can go anywhere…”

\--=+=--

Her master’s fiery orange and red lightsaber sank into the last generator’s terminal, overloading the circuits and causing the generator to sputter and stop. He sighed as he turned away. “That’s the last of them. All that’s left is the trek back to the records room.”

“Master,” Jaesa said, falling into step with him. “Can I ask you something?”

“You don’t need permission to ask me questions. It’s part of being an apprentice.”

“The Jedi. Do you expect him to betray us? If he does, what will we do?”

Khryden’s mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. “I stopped asking _if_ and started asking _when_ as soon as Draagh dropped a cavern on me.”

“Us,” she corrected wryly.

“Us,” he agreed, flexing his repaired arm unconsciously. “All the same, deviousness is in every Jedi that makes it to the rank of Master. The stupid and honorable ones are either culled by their own idiotic tendencies or by the Sith. Only those who know how to twist a situation to their advantage ever make it to Master. At the same time, they are constrained by their Code. Their cunning can only achieve so much before violence is involved and they must retreat into the safety of their teachings.”

“So you expect something, but nothing violent.”

“No. When I was chasing you, I fought two Jedi you might remember. Zylixx and Ulldin. The Master was stuck on Jedi teachings, and would not attack me when I arrived because I had not yet initiated combat. Zylixx, on the other hand, moved to attack me almost immediately because of his dark side tendencies. One was a Master, who refrained from attacking until he gave me an opportunity to surrender, and the second was a mere Knight steps away from the dark side. It is my understanding that being a Jedi Master will place Master Timmns in our debt, if only for a minute before he leads us to the databanks. He will not attack since that debt has yet to be paid. He knows that I will not attack either for fear of putting our singular chance for success at risk. Once I have the information, though…” he trailed off for a moment, a combative gleam in his eye. “All bets are off.”

\--=+=--

Khryden slammed his palm on the door three times. “I have returned. The power stations are destroyed.”

“Good! On three, you hit it from your side and I’ll hit it from mine. One…two…three!”

Khryden lifted a hand, gathering power in his fist and threw his open palm at the door. Sparks flew and the durasteel groaned once before flying off its hinges and crumpling in on itself. Smoke from the explosion poured into the area and Jaesa unconsciously matched Khryden’s casual ready stance as they waited for it to clear.

The smoke drifted enough to reveal the form of Jedi Master Timmns and Jaesa narrowed her eyes. Something about him looked very familiar. She supposed it was because he had also been a padawan of Karr and they must have been introduced.

“Good, job Sith! That was well done.” His joyous smile faded as his eyes landed on Jaesa. “Wait a moment. You’re Jaesa Willsaam, aren’t you?”

Her eyes flashed. It was just her luck that he recognized her. “I used to be,” she retorted flatly.

He frowned. “I wish it could have been different. Any regrets?”

Jaesa snorted. Regrets? Please. The only regret that she had was that she had not joined up with the Sith sooner. “I get to lie, cheat, and murder, legally and for profit. And for my Empire. What’s to regret?”

Khryden chuckled, amused. “A woman after my own heart.”

A distant sadness overcame the Jedi as his gaze flicked between the two of them. “Sounds like you two are perfect for each other.”

Perfect for each other. She cast a side-eye glance over to her master. He stood strong and calculating as his sharp eyes watched the Jedi for any aggressive movement. Even with the uneasy truce between them, he stayed on his guard, even though he had the advantage of numbers on his side with Jaesa there. Why so guarded? She understood on a surface level, but there was more to it. She examined his stance. Feet shoulder width apart, right slightly ahead of the left, a classic ready position. But he leaned towards her ever so slightly, as if prepping himself for an attack that might come her way. The fingers of his right hand twitched towards his saber hilt at irregular intervals, as if responding to his readings of the environment and the Jedi’s movements. Right hand. That was his main saber hand, but also the one closest to her. She recognized the signs even without using her power.

Protective.

Quinn’s words on Quesh floated back to her. _Especially you, Jaesa. He is doubly aware of your presence, both on the battlefield and off. Perhaps it is your status as his apprentice or the value he places on your special sight, but either way it does not matter why_. Except it does. It does matter why.

He had already proven himself to be ambivalent about her power. Yes, he saw it as an asset as any person would, but that did not color his impression of her. Her as a person, not a merely a vessel. He approached her as a Sith apprentice first, Jaesa Willsaam second, and seer third. And from what she had seen of other Sith and their apprentices, most Sith didn’t care whether their underlings lived or died.

 _But it is his way to protect his companions in battle,_ Quinn had said. Her master wanted to protect her from the Jedi.

No. Her right hand curled into a fist, strategically hidden from Khryden’s watchful eye next to her leg. She was not helpless. Not anymore. She was more Sith at this moment than she had ever been Jedi in all her time with the Order. Timmns knew her, knew Master Karr. He was connected to her. In that way, she felt responsible for him and vowed to herself that when the time came, she would take the battle upon herself.

She directed her next thought to Khryden, adding a bit of a snarl. _Do me a favor and let me have the honor when the time of his death arrives_. 

Khryden’s response was a mental smirk. _Have I mentioned how much I love it when you get bloodthirsty?_

Jaesa let a little flirtatiousness bleed into her tone. _Yes, but you might say it more often. I will never get enough of that alluring accent._

“Enough delay, Jedi. Show us to the computers.” Khryden followed Timmns down the hallway with Jaesa trailing slightly behind his right shoulder. Her master slowed as they entered the archive room, rage and frustration spiking. Noting the dangerous red aura that radiated from his body, Jaesa kept walking until she was level with her master. What she saw made her eyes dully flare blood red.

The databanks were destroyed. Plasma cut holes riddled the computers, cutting burned orange wounds that smoked and sparked. They were obviously lightsaber made. That bastard! How dare he purposefully delay them as such! Her control frayed and she knew her eyes glowed bright with the power of the dark side as she took a threatening step towards Timmns. She wanted to rip him apart. She wanted to shove her lightsaber down his throat and activate it in his belly, carving him from the inside out. She wanted to tear his limbs from his body…!

An iron hand gripped her forearm, stopping her movement and cutting through her delirium. Her head jerked up, burning red eyes making challenging contact with Khryden’s.

 _Let me go_ , she seethed _. I will make him pay_.

His irises flared crimson. _Control_ , he reminded her. _Control it, Jaesa. Don’t let it control you._

She bared her teeth. _Why? What good is control when lack of it will tear down our enemies? Look what he did!_

_Yes, look at it. Now look at him. He was the only person in here when the databanks were unharmed. If we want the information in those computers, the evidence lies with him._

She didn’t move and he gave her arm a little shake, gaze boring into her brain. _Think, Jaesa! As much as I hate to admit it, we need that information in his head. We lack the resources to get it unwillingly, which means he has to give it to us. We need him for now. Contain your anger until the moment arrives when we don’t anymore._

Jaesa clenched her fists underneath his grip on her arm, feeling his hold loosen to accommodate her tightened tendons. As much as she hated to admit, they did need the Jedi. The crimson glow faded from her eyes and she relaxed her arms in his grip. _Fine_ , she spat. _But his life is mine to take_.

She backed up to her spot behind Khryden and seethed silently. He could still feel her anger at the Jedi’s duplicity, but there was no longer the threatened loss of control. Turning his attention back to Timmns, he forced his own voice to stay level. “You destroyed the databanks so I could not access the information.”

The Jedi held up a hand. “Partly correct. I destroyed the databanks for two reasons. One, so the no one after you may free Darth Ekkage after we are finished, and two, so that you have a reason to keep me alive until we succeed in this mission. I have no illusions about you Sith. I could sense you were going to kill me as soon as you got your information. This way we must work together if we want to prevent Lord Melicoste’s intents.”

The Emperor’s Wrath fixed the Jedi across from him with a deadly glare. “No one will free Darth Ekkage after we are done. That, I can promise.”

\--=+=--

Jaesa examined the map at the Imperial Outpost, tapping her toe impatiently. Khryden had gone off to check in with the security chief at the outpost and left her to map their next destination. Spying his return heralded by a cloud of oppressive power and snapping black cape, she waited until he neared before tapping the map. “Block J-9 is in the Maximum Security Sector. It’ll take about half a day to get there. We could break here at the outpost, get some hot food, or wait until we’re in the middle of the wilderness while cold, tired, and hungry.”

She glanced expectantly at her master, her slight smile morphing into a frown when he shook his head, coming to stand next to her. “Sorry, Jaesa. We don’t have the luxury of time. The security chief less than voluntarily gave up what he knew of Melicoste’s timetable. He sent a group of commandos to release Ekkage’s assassins only a few hours ago. We need to move fast to catch up with them.”

Jaesa sighed, shoulders slumping. “Cold, tired, and hungry it is.”

He wrapped one conciliatory arm around her shoulders, thumb tracing a pattern on her cloth armor. Just a simple touch made her exasperations melt away and she automatically leaned into his side. “Tell you what,” he said, squeezing her shoulder one last time before dropping his arm. “Once we finish this business with Baras and assuming the Hand doesn’t immediately need us, we’ll take a week or two of vacation. Find a less populated planet, relax, and forget all about being cold, tired, and hungry.” He snaked an arm around her waist and steered her towards the waiting speeder. “Deal?”

A quick glance around showed all the outpost workers carefully averting their eyes. She raised herself up on her tiptoes and gently nuzzled his jaw with the tip of her nose. Not quite a kiss, but according to the light blush coloring Khryden’s cheeks, he got the message. “It’s a date.”

He guided her to the speeder with his hand lightly touching the small of her back and set the autopilot to Block J-9. They talked of simple things on the way, Khryden’s mention of vacation summoning forth memories of family outings or parties. Jaesa told what she remembered of the last birthday she celebrated with her parents. “I remember they had splurged on gold balloons that absolutely entranced me. The whole party was special since it was my last day with them, but for some reason, I just couldn’t take my eyes off those balloons. They seemed so magical, the way they always floated upward. I think I admired their optimism. The Jedi would come to take me away the next day, so my parents tried their hardest not to cry throughout the entire thing and ruin my celebration, but I could tell something was wrong even without my power. I would rather look at the luminescent spheres that at my mother’s and father’s red eyes. The balloons were captivating and I remember thinking while looking at them that as long as they could keep floating up towards the sky and certain death, then I could stay positive about my leaving my parents.”

Khryden reached over and grasped her hand. “I never apologized for killing them.”

She waved her other hand quickly, not daring to move the one clasped in his grip. “Don’t bother. I know it wasn’t your fault, you were just following Baras’ orders. Besides, I hadn’t seen them in years.” She tamped down the pain in her chest that came with the reminder of their death. “Even with the Jedi, I would think about them all the time, wondering, and it occasionally interfered with my training. Now that they’re gone, I recall them less and less. There are still memories that will pop up every now and then, but I make my own memories now. Nothing will interfere with my training this time. And besides,” she said, smiling, “I think they would have been proud that I followed my own path instead of the one chosen for me.”

“You don’t miss them?”

Her smile turned a little bitter. “Sometimes. Only when I see something that reminds me of them, or when I visit Alderaan. What about your family? Are your parents alive and well? Proud that their son was chosen by the Emperor?”

His face, so open and concerned moments before, shut down immediately, and his emotionless mask he used when dealing with people that angered him stuck firmly. “It’s complicated.”

Jaesa brushed her thumb across his knuckles as she cautiously eyed him. “I don’t mean to pry.”

Khryden sighed, using his free hand to rub his face tiredly. “No, no, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m not used to talking about it quite yet. Nobody asks about your home life at Korriban. It’s all, _oh, you’re still alive? Go to this dusty and definitely dangerous tomb to see what ghosts you can piss off and try not to die_.” He shook his head wryly. “My parents were killed in a slaver attack on a small planet in the Outer Rim. They tried to hide me and my siblings, but only succeeded with two of us. The rest, including me, were taken.”

Compassion tore a hole in her chest. “You were a slave?”

“Among other things,” he said evasively. “I got luckier, I think, than my brothers and sisters. My Force sensitivity was discovered pretty rapidly and I wasn’t a slave for long. Korriban happened, I chased a flawed Jedi and his beautiful padawan across the galaxy, then Baras went psycho, I was pointed at by the Hand, and here I am. It’s all been quite a rush of action since I was deemed Force sensitive.”

 _Beautiful? He thinks I’m beautiful—No. Stay focused, Jaesa. He’s opening up to you. Don’t squander this_. “How many siblings?”

Caginess and uncertainty clouded his face. “There’s eight of us total,” he said slowly. “I’ve been trying to track them down in my free time, but I haven’t had a lot of it, and I’m not exactly the best slicer.”

“Have you asked Vette?”

He snorted. “Yeah, if I want my whole life story on the holonet. No, I trust Vette with a lot of things, but not this. Not yet.”

The speeder came in for a landing just outside Block J-9 and Jaesa chose her next words carefully. “I may not be Vette’s biggest fan, but she knows the value of keeping her mouth shut about stuff that goes on in the ship and she’s the best slicer I know. And that’s not just limited to her. I am certain the entirety of the crew would bend over backwards for you, if you would only ask.”

Indecision wracked his being as the speeder parked. “I know, Jaesa. But this…this is personal. I could not willingly ask you to risk opening the curtain when I do not know what lies behind it.”

She gave his hand a last squeeze before grabbing the handle to her door. “Whatever you decide to do, I will support you. I swore to follow your commands when I became your apprentice and I don’t intend to back out now.”

He shot her a grateful smile as they left the speeder and followed the mapped directions into Block J-9. They waded through luscious ferns and undergrowth when required, but elected to stick to the paths for the majority of the way. The Wrath picked up the pace as the unimpressive grey building came into view, marring the otherwise picturesque landscape. They avoided loose inmates where they could, and slaughtered them where they couldn’t. Though they both drew strength from the rampant emotions of the prisoners, the Wrath and his apprentice had a time constraint that prompted more stealthy action.

Entering Block J-9 at Khryden’s side, Jaesa immediately spied the commando group at the end of the line of cells, their white and red armor standing out against the brown and grey backdrop of the interior of the prison. They were standing in one of the open cells and were talking to somebody.

“A party?” Her master murmured. “And they didn’t invite me…”

“How rude,” Jaesa snickered, feeling the blood in her veins sing at the prospect of combat.

They approached steadily, the Wrath and his apprentice, pausing at the entrance to the open cell. The commandos were in discussion with three gathered Sith, two wearing the grey wrapped robes of assassins and the last wearing red robes with a bit more design. Khryden stopped a little ways from the gathered troops and Sith, giving himself room to move if it came to a fight.

“Hey,” called the only helmetless trooper. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

Jaesa flashed him a cruel smile even as Khryden completely ignored him, instead turning to the three assassins. “I come with the highest permission. I am the Emperor’s Wrath. Darth Baras has seized power without the Emperor’s consent and I have been sent to Belsavis to eliminate his supports. Darth Ekkage is one of them and, by association, are you.”

The assassins glanced at each other, coming to a nonverbal consensus, and the red-robed one stepped forward. “We would never willingly go against our Lord Emperor. Say the word and we break our alliance with Darth Ekkage for service for our supreme ruler.”

The Wrath’s apprentice seemed to narrow her eyes at the three assassins, looking deep into their souls. Jaesa bypassed their mental wards, instead searching for deceit in their intentions. There was underlying anger at being treated this way, having been locked in Belsavis by Ekkage’s enemies while she was similarly imprisoned, but no desire to go against the Emperor or his Wrath. Their dedication was true.

“Now wait a second!” the commando spoke up, hand twitching towards his rifle. “Lord Melicoste tasked us with retrieving you for Darth Ekkage’s awakening.”

Jaesa snorted softly, muttering, “Show some ambition or even a little backbone.”

Khryden awarded the lead commando a glance of disdain before turning his attention back to the assassins. “You have been called.”

Eerily, as one, the three assassins faced the three commandos and raised their hands. All three trooper’s throats constricted and threads of pure, unadulterated fear filtered out to Jaesa’s senses. She half-closed her eyes, reveling in the thrill of control over a life and the influx of power. One at a time, the assassins clenched their fists, dropping a commando’s body each time with the movement.

“Finally.” The lead assassin almost smiled. “We are free from Darth Ekkage’s control, my fellows, and called for a greater purpose.”

Jaesa felt Khryden’s presence in her mind before she heard him speak. _I sense no duplicity, but I’d like to make sure. What do you think?_

Immediately, Jaesa shook her head. _No lies. I already checked_.

 _Proactivity will get you far_ , he purred, amused and pleased with her foresight.

Outwardly, the Wrath nodded once. “The Hand will contact you. Until then, safe travels.”

The red-robed Sith bowed his head. “You have our thanks and our debt, Lord Wrath. There is no greater reward than being called to serve the Emperor himself.”

\--=+=--

After a quick holocall to Jedi Master Timmns, Khryden and Jaesa were given the coordinates to the tomb of Darth Ekkage’s imprisonment and they piloted there with all due haste. There was no idle discussion in the speeder this time. They were too close to their goal and the bubbling feeling of anticipation and excitement ran rampant through Jaesa’s veins. She could smell the violence coming as soon as they landed and entered the Deep Prison and shivered with the thrill of it

She marveled at the enormity of the structure, spinning around as Khryden knelt to grab something on the ground. His frustration spiked and Jaesa paused in her dance. He summoned her to his side with a quiet word a moment later and handed her a datapad.

“The Jedi’s,” he explained tightly.

She took the datapad, eyebrows drawing together as she read out loud. “’I regret that I am unable to meet you at the rendezvous, as something has come up. Lord Melicoste had regrouped and sent forces to your location. The intercepted communication is attached. I have gone to head them off, lest you think I have abandoned you and Miss Willsaam. You must proceed immediately in case Lord Melicoste’s forces get the better of me and flank you. If the Force wills it, I will meet you in Darth Ekkage’s tomb in cell block 77-Z. Be warned: I believe Lord Melicoste is already there. It amuses me to think that you’ll be happy to see me. Good luck.’” Jaesa raised her eyes to her master’s as she finished reading. “I have mixed feelings about this, master. I do not like relying on a Jedi to prevent a surprise attack, but I also sense that his plan has merit.”

“I don’t like it either. But I have an idea.” He looked at her shrewdly in response to her questioning mumble. “We split up.” 

Jaesa frowned immediately. “I don’t think—”

He touched her shoulder, steering her along next to him as they walked into the Lower Halls. “Hear me out. All of these prison blocks are more or less mapped out the same. The last outpost we were in had a rough sketch of the building, remember?”

“Yeah…” she said slowly.

“The air circulation vents. They connect to each cell, especially the bigger ones in this block. They’re wide enough for a smaller person to fit into.”

She jerked to a stop, disbelief rounding her eyes. “You’re kidding.”

Khryden shot her a guarded look and a shrug. “Not really."

Her hands pressed her forehead, as if trying to shove the reasoning into her brain directly. “You want me to climb in the air vent of a maximum security prison alone.”

“Well, if you put it that way…”His mouth spread into a jaunty grin. “That’s about it!”

“Explain to me how that could _possibly_ help in any way.”

A sheepish look stole over his features and for a moment, the Emperor’s Wrath looked like a shamed puppy. “I thought it would be a good idea…you know, like they do in holodramas."

She shook her head, simultaneously wanting to break out into laughter and wanting to kiss that adorable look right off his face. Her lips pressed into a thin line, attempting to stave off her first reaction, and she folded her arms to prevent her second reaction from happening. Struggling to maintain an impassive expression, she took one look at the endearing look of complete embarrassment and exploded with laughter. Her shoulders shook as giggles overtook her last vestiges of self-control and she had to lean up against the prison wall to stay on her feet. Jaesa wasn’t sure what was more amusing: the fact that her scary Sith master, the _Emperor’s Wrath_ , watched holodramas, or the presence of that lovely shade of crimson that stained his cheeks in combination with that adorable mortified look on his face.

She winced, beating back the remnants of her giggle attack, and warding off a fresh one. “Khryden, those only work in the movies for a _reason_.”

He picked at a loose thread on his glove, his face flaming red now. “Well, I just thought that you could stay in the vent and I could go challenge Lord Melicoste, and that way if the Jedi failed, you could be my backup to prevent Melicoste’s forces from flanking me.”

She grasped his arm with both hands, pulling his ashamed gaze to her absolutely delighted face. Between the Jedi and the Sith, it had been a long time since she had laughed like that. It served to remind her of the little pleasures in life, like giggling with a friend or a beloved. She appreciated it more then he would know. “No, that was a wonderful idea,” she cajoled. “I just don’t think it’ll work quite the way you intend it.”

Jaesa dipped her head to beat back another snigger. “It is a good idea, though. But how about we simplify it? I will cloak myself with the Force and follow you in, standing off to the side. That way I can keep an eye on the entrance, and on you.”

A new wave of color washed over his cheeks and he ducked his head, mumbling something about how that was a much better idea and how he should have thought of that before trying to apologize.

“No no no,” Jaesa waved off his attempt, snorts breaking through her control every few words. “Don’t apologize. I haven’t laughed like that in too long. It was…refreshing.”

“Glad to be of service,” he muttered, but summoned a small smile showing no hard feelings. “I like hearing you laugh. You’re too serious sometimes.”

“Same goes for you, tough guy.” She elbowed him lightly in the ribs. “Stick around and I’m sure you’ll make me giggle like blushing padawan again.”

“That’s very tempting,” he stuttered as he struggled to regain some of his usual professional bravado, “but at a later time. I believe we’re being very rude to Lord Melicoste by not being present for his great failure.”

“If you say so.” She tugged on the Force, shrouding her body, and in a burst of wicked bravery, trailed a ghost finger down his jaw to his exposed neck. It stopped at the neckline of his armor and he screwed his eyes shut as if willing her to keep going.

The look of exquisite pain thrilled her to no end. Gaiety had been suddenly replaced with fire curling in her stomach. She brushed her fingertip sensually against the hollow at the base of his throat, teasing him. With a small growl, his hand shot up from his side, capturing her invisible fingers and he arched his neck, placing a heated kiss on their backs. “I knew you could Force stealth, but this experience has given me _many_ new ideas to try out in private.” She choked on the gasp in her throat as he nipped a fingertip gently. “I intend to make you pay for laughing at me.”

The sudden role reversal left her stunned and floundering, her breath coming in short pants. She wanted to continue this but at the same time… “Ekkage. Melicoste. Remember?”

He released her hand reluctantly, nodding. “Later, then. No one laughs at a Sith Lord and comes out unscathed.” Winking, he spun on his heel and strode down the hall, leaving her to catch up.

She didn’t miss the underlying promise of _being scathed_ in more ways than one, prompting a blush to creep over her nose as she hurried after him.

 


	2. Battles and Tests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Belsavis, Part II)
> 
> Khryden sees an opportunity and Jaesa is tested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, some violence ahead. But come on, it’s Star Wars and you can’t have lightsabers without a lightsaber duel or two. Plus, there’s a moment of dark side bloodiness.

Jaesa edged her way along the wall of the temple-esque prison cell, focusing on her stealth. Their planning would be for moot if she flickered into view anytime soon.

The walls were populated with alternating thick columns and large praying statures. The cell size seemed a bit overkill for a singular Sith, Darth or not, but Jaesa had to appreciate the designs carved painstakingly into the stone. Darth Ekkage floated in the middle of the room, held by a stasis beam. Jaesa’s gaze swept over the area just enough to note available cover and places where Ekkage’s line of sight was broken. She stealthed over to a carved out cranny next to a giant statue and knelt next to it, unclipping her doublesaber hilt from her belt and holding it at the ready. If there was anything she had learned in her travels as a Sith Lord, it was that fights came fast and furious, especially when they were not expected.

Hunkering down by the statue, Jaesa almost didn’t notice Lord Melicoste entering the chamber. He hovered around the chamber’s edge before striding up to Ekkage’s floating form and pressing a few buttons on his datapad, deactivating the beam and releasing Baras’ sister. Jaesa felt a flash of dismay that was quickly overridden by a spark of exhilaration as their enemies doubled in a matter of seconds. She didn’t foresee a problem in dealing with these two as long as the Jedi held up his end of the bargain.

If he didn’t, well, then the upcoming battle would be that much more exciting with the addition of a troupe of commandos.

“My lord,” Melicoste was saying, “you are freed.”

Jaesa rolled her eyes. It seemed that some Sith, like most Jedi, had a penchant for stating the obvious.

“Rage! Wrath! Vengeance!” Ekkage snarled out loud, prompting Jaesa to wonder about the condition of her sinuses. “I need outlets! I have been dormant for too long!”

A flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye made her turn her head and she witnessed Khryden arriving onto the scene, quickly slipping behind one of the thicker pillars and waiting patiently like a vine cat for his chance to strike.

Darth Ekkage stalked to the center of the room, then turned on Lord Melicoste predatorily. “Had my brother sent anyone else, I would have used them for target practice. But you are the first face I see outside my imprisonment and for that I am grateful.” She hissed softly to herself. “Why did it take Baras so long to discover Belsavis? He must be getting weak, the fat piece of scum.”

“Baras has been busy, my lord,” Melicoste said, bowing. “He has ascended the Dark Council and aims to be named Voice of the Emperor with your help.”

Darth Ekkage stilled and Jaesa tensed. The Darth’s lack of movement made her nervous of what was going to happen next. She gripped her lightsaber hilt more firmly and strained to hear the next bits of conversation.

“Sounds like he has everything under control,” Ekkage tapped a long pale finger against her opposite wrist. “Except for one thing.”

Lord Melicoste paled under the dim lights of the cell. “My lord?”

“If my dear brother and you have _everything_ under control, then where are my assassins?” Ekkage’s face morphed from slight mistrust with the undercurrent of bloodlust to full on rage, sending out a wave of emotion from her position.

Melicoste spread his arms as if pleading innocence. “I sent my commandos to release them. Do you sense them?”

Darth Ekkage swung around and began to pace perpendicular to the other Sith. “Before you arrived, I felt them. They were freed, but someone turned them against me.”

Khryden chose that moment to make his move, stepping clear of the pillar and immediately commanding attention. “It was surprisingly simple. They were called to serve a greater master than you.”

Fury twisted Ekkage’s face. “Melicoste, you incompetent! You’ve been followed! Deal with this intruder and I might not kill you myself.”

Amusement radiated from the Wrath’s imposing form and his voice took on lighter, conversational tones. “Why wait? He’ll only get in your way, and failure is an offence punishable by death. I wouldn’t want the distraction of his presence.”

Darth Ekkage paused, tilting her head and digesting Khryden’s words. “How right you are, whoever you may be. You will tell me as soon as I finish this business.”

Behind her, Lord Melicoste sensed his imminent peril as the words passed her lips and ignited his red saber in preparation for the Darth’s attack. He flinched as Ekkage spun, hands outstretched, and failed to bring up his crimson blade in time to deflect the torrent of Force lightning that exploded from her fingers. His screams echoed throughout the cell, rebounding on the high ceilings and fading moments after his smoking body fell limply to the ground.

“I will tell Baras, my brother and the future Voice of the Emperor, that you died like a dog,” Darth Ekkage snarled, extending a hand and summoning Melicoste’s dropped lightsaber hilt to her palm from its place on the floor.

Khryden shifted his stance slightly, widening his base of support, and unclipped his twin saber hilts from his belt, but kept them extinguished for now. “I’m afraid that I cannot allow you to deliver that message.”

The Darth looked up from her saber hilt, eyes narrowing. “Who, exactly, are you?”

Jaesa sensed him a second before Khryden did as Jedi Master Timmns strode into the room, looking none the worse for wear. A few slightly singed holes in his robes from blaster fire were the only discrepancies that marred his appearance. “He’s with me, Ekkage,” the Jedi intoned.

Khryden rolled his eyes, exasperation leaking into the Force bond and Jaesa hid a smile.

Ekkage, for her part, seemed unsurprised. “Nomen Karr’s sad little whelp. This is like Life Day. Gather all your enemies together in one little room and kill them all in one fell swoop.” She turned her blistering gaze onto Khryden, her voice hardening. “If you’re aligned with the Jedi, you’re a traitor and a fool.”

That prompted a snarl to form on his face and he stalked down the steps, advancing on her. “Fool I may be for trusting your brother for so long, but I am no traitor.” His eyes began to glow red with Force rage and he released the full force of his predatory glare. “I am the Emperor’s Wrath, unleashed by the Hand. Baras moves against the Emperor’s wishes and as such, you and your brother have been marked as enemies.”

Ekkage scoffed. “You claim to be devoted, yet you hide behind a Jedi? You claim to be the Wrath, yet you will not face me in single combat? Are you even Sith?”

The warrior adjusted his grips on his saber hilts, but didn’t move to light them yet. “This is our single combat, Ekkage. The Jedi will not interfere.”

Without looking, Khryden slammed his offhand hilt into his belt and flung out his empty hand. Jaesa could feel the Force twist in the room and cringed reflexively. Master Timmns, focused heavily on Darth Ekkage, was not prepared for the constricting bondage of a Force stasis that froze his limbs in their current position.

His mouth remained free and it warped distastefully. “What is the meaning of this, Sith?!”

Khryden lowered his hand slowly and reconnected his offhand saber hilt with his left palm, never taking his eyes off of Darth Ekkage. “This a duel. One Sith Lord against another.” As if moving in sync, they each took a step to their right, and then another, circling each other warily. “This is a pure test of power, the single combat. One that happens rarely because of the underhand tactics most Sith use to acquire power. They would prefer to nip at the heels of more powerful Sith than face them head on.”

Jaesa got the feeling that he was speaking more to her than anyone else, but she was mesmerized by the circling that kept each combatant at equidistance from each other. Ekkage’s form suddenly shifted, a daring feint forward, and Jaesa stood up, preparing to go assist her master when just a lithely, Khryden dodged and four words echoed deafeningly in her head.

 _You will not interfere_.

The volume made her clasp her ears and cower down. _But Master! It is my duty to stand at your side! I cannot let you battle this alone!_

His mental voice through their connection softened _. I know, and I’m sorry. Ekkage has no idea you’re here and I’d rather not give your position away, but I will put you in Force stasis as well if you try to intervene. I accepted this for a reason. Look around. See the blinking lights in the corners? This whole cell is being shown live, likely at one of the Republic outposts and an Imperial listening station has almost certainly sliced them for their own use. This is my first trial as the Emperor’s Wrath, to test my mettle against a wayward Darth. If I lose, then I was not meant to be the Wrath. If I win, then it will help cement my position and influence in both the Republic and the Empire. Darth Ekkage is fairly powerful. Defeating her will be a great assistance to bully other lords into submission._

She ground her teeth, frustrated but understanding. _Fine. But I will not stand idly by and let you die_.

He cut the connection with a tiny nod of his head. As if responding to that subtle movement, lightsabers exploded into action, flying from their hilts and clashing in a shower of red and orange sparks.

Jaesa had seen Khryden fight plenty of times. Hell, she had seen him fight Jedi and Sith plenty of times. But this…this was a dance of death with dangerously precise choreography and lethal results. It started fast, lightsabers spinning in red and orange arcs too fast for Jaesa to see. Ekkage was at a slight disadvantage with her one lightsaber against Khryden’s two, but she made up for it by using her talent for Force lightning as another blade, pressing the Wrath’s defenses. But Khryden’s movements weren’t as smooth as they usually were and Jaesa tracked them with increasing apprehension. Her master had only received a few days of combat testing his repaired arm and his jerky movements gave away his weakness almost immediately. Despite that, it looked like they were evenly matched, at least until Ekkage decided to take advantage of her opponent’s hesitance.

They broke apart a moment later, similarly breathing hard, and returned to circling each other. Everything up until now had been feints and tests, each fighter measuring their opponent’s reactions and reflexes. With lightsabers held away from their bodies and at the ready, the two looked like alpha gundarks trying to scare the other into submission.

“What’s the matter, Ekkage?” the Wrath chuckled, form glowing the slightest bit red. “Getting tired? How old did that little stint in a Republic prison make you? Or maybe you’re just getting weak.”

The assassin Darth snarled. “Weakness has no place in the Sith Empire. And today _you_ are the one getting culled!”

She leaped forward, buffeted by the Force and brought her lightsaber in a downward arc on Khryden’s head. He reacted, bringing both of his fiery orange blades in an X over his head, and stopping her strike where it landed in a hiss of plasma energy. Too late he recognized her feint and left his stomach wide open. Malice warped her corpselike face as she shot a torrent of purple lightning straight into his chest. Catching the brunt of it, the Wrath’s form shuddered and twitched as the electricity robbed his body of movement, his face screwed up in pain.

With a yell, his eyes flared bright red as he called upon his Force fury, breaking the stun and shoving Ekkage away with a Force push. The Darth picked herself up with a low chuckle as Khryden shook out his trembling muscles. “You will have to be quicker if you want to beat me, _child_.”

Her opponent flicked his lightsabers towards her, sending them spinning through the air like scythes. Darth Ekkage ducked out of the way of one and deflected the other and they snapped back to the warrior’s waiting hands. An animalistic growl preceded the Wrath’s devastating Force leap, his feet impacting the ground and sending tremors radiating outwards. Ekkage stumbled, and the Wrath struck. His twin sabers moved with chaotic grace, but whatever move he performed, the assassin had a riposte ready.

They broke apart for a second time, breathing even harder. Sweat gleamed on their faces, but neither of them were critically injured. Ekkage’s robes were torn around her legs, showing burns, and Khryden sported a shallow gash on his arm, but neither of them let up. Jaesa watched with rabid fascination as burns seemed to just appear on their bodies because their blades were such a blur. But that didn’t stop her from wincing at each injury Khryden sustained, as each slice scorched through cloth and thinner areas of his armor and seared the skin underneath. The Wrath’s actual armor gave him the advantage over Darth Ekkage’s cloth armor now that both were slowed by injuries and their reaction speed leveled out to be nearly the same. However, he was slowly gaining the upper hand, even with his handicap. He had maintained the same pace throughout the fight while sapping Ekkage’s endurance with its length and both of their reserves were nearing empty. Jaesa could see him digging deep into his internal well of determination and rage, siphoning only what he required as he needed it. So invested was she in the duel that she sensed the final attempt at tipping the balance of the fight through the Force before it happened.

In a flash of purple sparks, Ekkage threw out a single lightning bolt, then pressed her attack, swift movements of her lightsaber interspersed by jolts of Force lightning. Though not as strong as the lightning she threw at the beginning of the fight, getting hit would still mean pain and the temporary loss of reaction. At this point in the battle, anything could tip the delicate balance of winner and loser.

Khryden’s face was set with concentration, gradually giving ground against Ekkage’s assault as he blocked each one of her strikes with flagging intensity. One moment they were matched stride for stride, and the next, his repaired arm flinched and Khryden was stumbling backwards, pressing a forearm to his side as smoke from the wound wafted past. His heel bumped the base of a statue and they stopped suddenly in their tracks. One unmoving fiery orange saber was pressed to the assassin’s red, and the other was strategically placed to catch the stream of lightning she channeled with her offhand. The Wrath’s face was set with concentration and accented with lines of pain.

Jaesa was too far away to hear them speak above the humming of their lightsabers, but she read enough off of Khryden’s lips to know that he was offering her a quick death if she knelt before him now. Jaesa reached out with the Force towards her master, drawn into the coil of pain, hatred, and determination that festered in his chest. The agony of the deep burn on his side fueled something else that was beyond pain. There was something potent and dangerous about it that she was drawn in to and the closer she looked, the less she wanted to look away. That molten core that he drew upon was unlike anything she had seen him use before and it drew her in rapidly. While before his power had been bright gold and flaring crimson, this swirling fire was thick and dark, colored by black and blood red, and had an aura of such intense _domination_ that it promised victory in every sense of the word _if only you used it and gave in and used it to crush your enemies and bathe in their blood and lick their bones and used it to sever_.... Jaesa felt nothing but rage and the desire for bloodshed so strongly that her mind nearly shut down except for thoughts of death and destruction. With that power, she could be invincible. She could rule the galaxy and no one would be able to stop her. Her body trembled, unused to such temptations of infinite power and ease of genocide. She wanted to rise and embrace it, but her feet stayed rooted to the spot.

[You promised not to move!]

A part of her mind shouted out, protesting.

But the power, such power…

[Stay! You promised!]

Promises are nothing when you have ultimate power.

[Resist…]

It was calling to her, the opaque darkness. She should respond. She needed to.

[Control!]

[Control it, Jaesa Willsaam! Prove your strength!]

[The dark side is nothing without control!]

Her rebellious body froze, halfway out of her hiding place. Two sides of her mind warred against each other while her glassy eyes beheld the battle.

Ekkage’s rebellious reply was cut off by a sudden explosion of pure strength. Khryden’s body blazed with a sludgy aura of black and deep red and the assassin was thrown clear across the room, smacking against a statue with a loud _crack_. The warrior’s eyes were completely black and expressionless as he stalked slowly to Darth Ekkage’s fallen form as she cowered on the floor, numerous wounds forgotten.

“No,” the assassin whispered, her eyes bulging. “Such power…such darkness!”

Khryden didn’t respond, only cocked his head eerily and slowly raised his main lightsaber until its tip was humming next to her throat.

“I gave you a chance,” he intoned, his voice lacking all inflection and emotion. “Now you will die here in indignity. I _am_ the Emperor’s Wrath!”

Ekkage’s face twisted in horror as Khryden dropped his sabers, extinguishing them before they hit the floor, and reached out with both arms. His hands clenched into fists in the air and pressed together, the black and red aura concentrating around them.

Terror filled Ekkage’s eyes as she felt her body being raised from the floor until she was floating in the air a foot above the ground. “Baras will avenge me!” she shrieked.

Khryden merely blinked void black eyes at her, then wrenched his fisted hands apart. With a meaty ripping sound, Darth Ekkage’s head separated from her neck, gore and bits of flesh flying everywhere. Her head and decapitated body hung in the air, blood dripping into a growing pool on the floor.

Pain split Jaesa’s head and she sagged back against the wall with a cry, clutching her temples.

“And so the will of the Emperor is fulfilled,” he declared, releasing the two pieces of what used to be Darth Ekkage and letting them flop to the ground with a wet sound. Raising an open hand, shadowy tendrils shot out to every corner that housed a little blinking light and with a twist of his wrist, every camera in the cell crunched into a ball, effectively cutting off any audience they might have.

“Show’s over,” he muttered, sounding like his normal self.

His aura flared and his knees buckled, bright crimson fighting against sludgy black and red. He landed hard on his hands and knees, shards of cracked stone digging into his palms and sending jolts of pain to his desensitized brain. His face contracted and his eyelids squeezed shut, the pain of controlling the darkness almost akin to the pain of allowing it to take over. Slowly the agony faded until it was concentrated on his wounds and the Emperor’s Wrath straightened, brushing off his hands and arms, and retrieving his sabers. He compartmentalized the pain of his burns and flexed his right hand, checking for any sign of damage to the cybernetics underneath his skin. His eyes were clear and his aura was once again unstained.

 _Jaesa_ , he called. _Can you hear me?_

Her only response was a pain filled shriek in his mind and he staggered from the force of it. Panic immediately welled up in his chest. Was it too soon? Had he misjudged her progress? Maybe she wasn’t ready to embrace the darkness so completely. He focused on her presence through their bond, sending reassuring pulses. _Oh stars help me if I’ve destroyed her_ …

Furious at himself, he mentally tamped down his initial panic _. Get a hold of yourself, man. Where’s your objectivity? If she concedes, she’s weak and she’ll die. If she’s strong, she’ll survive. That is the Sith way_.

Saying it didn’t help the twisting concern in his gut, though.

_Come on, Jaesa. You can do this. I know you can._

Jaesa couldn’t hear a thing. Inside her brain, a battle raged, her against the all-encompassing darkness. The power was tantalizing, and in a way she was still tempted. But she knew that total surrender to the dark would crush her, and so she fought. It was like trying to contain a thousand creeping vines, all with a will of their own and the dedication to get out. And that wasn’t mentioning the fact that each time she tried to grab a vine, it burned her skin with flesh-eating poison. It seemed impossible and she was losing faith. Was this even possible?

Khryden’s voice echoed in her mind, reiterating the most important and repeated lesson he had taught her. _Control. That is the key to ultimate power. Power is useless without control, else it will control you_.

Control, she told herself, gritting her teeth against the pain. Control it, dammit!

She bore down on the vines of shadow with renewed passion, beating them back away from her mind. But the poison still burned her hands and she resolved to try a new tactic.

_The Force is mine to command. And if I say I can use it inside my own head, then I can!_

Gripping the ten vines closest her with Force control born of her passion to succeed and desire to dominate, Jaesa shoved them violently back. But they just came at her again and she hissed in frustration.

_I need somewhere to put them._

Almost as soon as she finished thinking the words, a shadowy purple holocron appeared in front of her.

 _Perfect_ , she thought grimly. _Come at me, you bastards_.

Containing the tentacles that reached out to her, she angled her hands, redirecting their ultimate power into the holocron. To her surprise and elation, the vines contacted the holocron and were immediately sucked in. Working quickly, she repeated the process of containment and deflection into the holocron, whose appetite for the shadowy creepers seemed endless. With a wordless yell, she confined the last of the writhing tentacles and sent them to the holocron, and her mind fell blessedly silent.

Jaesa’s eyes shot open and she gasped, losing her concentration over her stealth and staggering on suddenly weak legs. Strong arms grabbed her waist, propping her up, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Twisting around, she gaped like a fish at her master. Everything seemed so surreal, especially after what had happened. And for that matter, what _had_ happened? She felt different, strange. Like there was an undercurrent of electric power running underneath her skin.

Setting her face, she poked him hard in the chest. “You, mister, have a ton of explaining to do. I want reasons. Now.”

She barely noticed his eyes— _his_ eyes, not the black pits of death—furtively searching hers for any signs of madness before he pulled her into a bone crushing hug, blocking out the spike of pain that resulted. Jaesa was ashamed to admit that she squeaked indecently, but less ashamed to admit that she liked this. A lot.

“Oh stars, you’re alright,” he murmured in her ear, almost shaking with a combination of pain, relief, and fatigue. “I never would have forgiven myself if you had gone mad. I’m so proud of you. So proud. And happy.”

“Gone mad? Me?” She eyed him with borderline concern for his mental state. “When? When was I in danger of going mad?”

His hands slid to her jaw, cupping her face tenderly for tense moment before sliding them down to her shoulders, as if reassuring himself that she was really there. He blinked his eyes shut for a second, breathing calming breaths, then dropped his hands, nodding. “Questions. Right. I will explain what I can in a few minutes. That fight with Ekkage tired me, and we still need to deal with him.” He gestured towards the floating form of Master Timmns, who looked _very_ disapproving and _very_ put out. “I can’t hold his stasis for too much longer.”

“Then talk to me. What happened during the fight with Ekkage? I think I blacked out, but you…changed.”

He idly let his gaze drift to the ground behind her left shoulder, nodding distantly. “I channeled pure dark side energy to become one with the dark side to defeat Darth Ekkage.”

“You…became…the dark side.”

“I became a manifestation of it,” he corrected. “There’s a difference. I released the control I usually have on it and invited it into me. It promises ultimate power, at the price of your body. Using it infrequently enough slows the degradation, but you’ve seen what it does to organics. It makes humans wrinkled and corpse-like. Frequent usage does that to you. Used too much, and it will consume your body. Used sparingly, it can be a great asset in times of need.”

“And me? My head felt like it split open when you channeled the dark. I had this weird dream when I blacked out, but it felt so real. I…was nearly overcome.”

His face broke into a rare smile. “But you weren’t. And that makes all the difference. It is an old ritual for apprentices when they’re ready to become Sith Lords. One I discovered during my own apprenticeship when I was thrown headfirst into the dark side. The apprentice comes into contact with pure dark side energy and is responsible for surviving. It’s do or die.”

Her mouth gaped. “Wait. Does that mean—”

Jaesa’s words were sharply cut off as Khryden’s head whipped around, just in time to see the Force stasis on Master Timmns fade. The Jedi landed lightly on the balls of him feet and folded his arms, looking very cross.

“Besides the fact that you lied to me and went back on your promise, locked me in stasis for the fight and made me unable to affect the outcome, I am most disappointed that you killed her. We could have locked her away again!”

Khryden dropped his hands from her shoulders, turning to face the Jedi. The Wrath rolled his shoulders, as if working out soreness, and fought back a wince at the spike of fire from his side. “Now there is no chance for escape, no chance that another would chance upon this spot and free her. Death is more certain. Admit it, it is better this way.”

Timmns paced slowly back and forth as he digested the Sith’s words. “The logic is sound,” he conceded, “but it still feels wrong. I hope you realize that in order to succeed at all against your former master, you’ll have to switch things up. Not be so predictable. Else he’ll be able to foresee your every move.”

“And counter it,” Khryden muttered, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

The Jedi stopped pacing and raised his chin defiantly. “Now what’s to become of us, Sith? Do we part as friends or as enemies?”

The Wrath turned to his apprentice, his voice formal. “Jaesa Willsaam, servant to the dark and all who embrace it, are you prepared to face your final task as a Sith apprentice?”

A little thrill shivered through her spine. Something special was happening. She didn’t quite comprehend it yet, but she could sense certain violence in her future. “I am, master.”

“You have proven yourself worthy to me, your master, and you have excelled in your study of the dark. You have learned almost all I can teach you both in combat mastery and Force techniques, Sith history and politics. Your rage knows no bounds and with the control that mastering the dark side has given you, you stand a chance of surviving in the Sith hierarchy. I have deemed your apprenticeship satisfactory and therefore give you one last test.”

He spun sharply on his heel, locking eyes with Timmns and speaking the next words directly to his face. “Kill the Jedi Master, and I will judge you to be worthy of the title of Sith Lord.”

Having sensed Khryden’s intent through the Force, Jaesa wasn’t as surprised as Timmns was when the words came out. Almost as if she was merely an observer on her body with the ethereal rush of accomplishment she felt, a harsh smile curled her lips and she unclipped her saberstaff, holding it ready at her side as she stalked predatorily towards the Jedi, pausing when she was twenty paces away.

“Finally,” she breathed, angling her saber hilt into the ready position and moving her thumb to the ignition switch. She let her emotions thrum through her, savoring the moment.

The Jedi shook his head. “Was this your plan all along? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Ekkage was…dealt with…but I didn’t think you’d be so quick to waste a potential resource.”

 _Wait_ , Khryden murmured in her mind, and she paused in her movement, thumb hovering over the button on her lightsaber hilt.

“And you know me so well?” he called out loud. “You’ve been researching me? If you have, then you must have realized that I never afford Jedi the same leniency I award Imperial personnel.” His tone grew sharp with grief and rage. “Jedi ripped my family apart, or what was left of it. Was that in your little dossier? How they chose to save my brother from slavery and not me? It was because they sensed darkness within me. They told themselves it was too tainting to warrant risking their rescue operation, no matter how we pleaded with them. They tore my brother from me, kicking and screaming, and never bothered coming back.”

Jaesa was stunned. She knew the basics about his family, but this was news. That’s what fueled his lack of mercy and utter rage at all Republic Force-users they encountered. Jedi took his brother and left him to die in Imperial slavery…

The Wrath shook his head, the rage on his face fading into jaded disgust. “But it happened a long time ago. If you know that, believe me when I say this isn’t personal. I like you, Jedi. You’re objective and dependable. But your dedication to archaic ideals that doom everyone in your vicinity has placed you in my path.”

“You’ve evidently thought about this,” the Jedi said quietly. “Is there nothing I can do to atone for my fellows?”

“Perhaps.” Khryden calmed somewhat, fingering his mainhand hilt with a devious glint in his eye. “I ordered my apprentice to murder a Jedi Master. If you were no longer a Jedi Master, then we could talk.”

Timmns’ face twisted. “You are asking me to renounce the title of Jedi.”

“And the doctrine, and the mindset, and the robes…stars, the _robes_ …” He shook his head with mock sadness, the distaste was plain in his voice, and Jaesa wrinkled her nose through her self-satisfied smirk. Those robes _were_ pretty horrid. “I could go on. Don’t let it be said that all Sith are mindless killers.” At this, a sardonic smile curled his lips. “I am giving you a chance.”

“I suppose it would be too much to ask just to let me go without animosity? What kind of a choice pits violence against the death of ideals? It is no choice at all, I say.”

The Wrath clasped his hands behind his back. “Then you doom yourself. Jaesa?” He turned to his apprentice, meeting her sparkling eyes with the cold fury in his own. “Kill him.”

A cruel smile curved her lips.

"With pleasure."

 


	3. The Final Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Belsavis, Part III)
> 
> It’s do or die. And Jaesa really doesn’t want to die.
> 
> Such situations prompt realizations, and Vette gets the last laugh.

Jaesa Willsaam grinned savagely at the command and advanced on the Jedi’s position enthusiastically, pressing the switch on her double-bladed saber. Every time she activated it, she knew pain and death would follow. Blood lust thrummed through her veins, egged on by the new dark power in her grasp. Tramping across wilderness of backwards planets wasn't her cup of tea, and she knew from experience that the Wrath felt the same way. _This_ was what they lived for. The thrill of hunt was nice and all, but nothing— _nothing_ —compared to the final stand. The all or nothing mentality that trapped the prey’s mind in depressing downward spirals, prompting shows of unnatural strength and hidden weaknesses. She reveled in the suspense of what they would show her, waiting patiently for their nerves to break and their true nature to show. And the Jedi in front of her would break. She would make sure of it.

She struck first, her lightsaber carving through the air with a deadly hum and blur of red. The Jedi pulled up his saber at the last moment, deflecting one side of her blade and parrying the other with lightning fast reflexes. His blue blade threw its color on his face and he disengaged and pulled back, lighting up his determined visage.

“Jaesa,” he tried, “I know the padawan I used to know is still in there. Why are you pandering to this inconsequential maniac? You’re stronger than this!”

A flare of rage so hot that it obstructed her vision for a split second washed over her and a primal growl tore its way from her throat. “He is stronger than you’ll ever be!” She gripped her saber tighter and flew at him, lashing out with seething indignation. The clashing of sabers punctuated her every word as she snarled, “And-I-am-no-padawan! I-am-Sith!”

The Jedi’s defense was nearly impenetrable. This she learned within the first five minutes of battle. His spotless use of what Jaesa recognized as the Soresu form proved to be a tangible barrier between the two of them. The faster her saber moved, the faster his defensive blocks and deflects came. Neither of them showed signs of tiring at first. Timmns moved as fluidly as Jaesa’s old combat instructor at the Jedi Temple, mimicking the ancient teacher’s style as if he had been trained by the same man, his movements nothing like Master Karr’s. It became painfully clear to her that as much as she wanted to simply overpower him and be done with it, they were too equally matched.

They turned their bodies in almost perfect synchronization, angling away from each other for a moment before re-engaging. Jaesa risked a glance in Khryden’s direction during the pause and nearly wasn’t fast enough to block the Jedi’s next strike. She gritted her teeth and rebounded with new fury. Her master was leaning heavily against one of the statues a little ways off, trying to pass it off as a casual position, but what bothered her the most was the look on his face. It was one of disappointment.

Jaesa was stuck. Sweat dripped down her face and back, and she adjusted her grip on her saber for the tenth time. They weren’t getting anywhere in this battle and worst of all, there was something she’d missed. Something she should have done that she hadn’t and now Khryden was radiating disapproval. She tried to touch his mind though their bond, but he remained stubbornly cut off, probably his own doing. This was her battle, not his.  It was only a matter of time before she or Timmns made a mistake, and she would never forgive herself if she lost to a Jedi.

_I was a Jedi, once_. The thought flitted through her head, unbidden, and she was about to smash it like a bug when it suddenly gave her pause. _I was. No matter how I’d like to spin it, I learned the basics of saber combat from the Jedi._ Her pulse quickened. _I know what he’s going to do, because learned it myself._

She ducked as the blue saber flew over her head and spun on her heel to deliver a low slash before popping up at the Jedi’s back. His blade redirected her own, frustratingly quick in its defensive movements, but not before her blade sliced his swirling robe.

_There! The blade barrage to slash, next should be_ —her saber flicked upwards, catching the stabbing strike and brushing it to the side— _the riposte! He’s using Soresu rotation five, the one I always had trouble with. It was meant to defend against overly aggressive attackers, but the problem was I wanted to_ be _the overly aggressive attacker_. _I know what he’s going to do, so defending will be simple._ _I just need to wait and watch for my opening. And when it happens, I will have to go all in._

Jaesa dug deep, fueling her flagging muscles and forcing her mind to concentrate with small threads of dark side energy. The writhing core of pure darkness inside her made it so much easier to access the power, with its nearly inexhaustible source at her fingertips, and she felt like she couldn’t lose. But she strove to keep her invincible feeling at bay and her direct connection to the dark side in check. She was still human, after all. Still flesh and blood. She could still die.

And she had no desire to trade her finally smooth and acne-free skin for corpse flesh. She had worked too damn hard for that and spent too many credits on skin creams.

But she needed the power, and the red eyes weren’t a permanent change. All they did was show a connection to the dark side. But if she drew too much energy, she’d become a living corpse. And red eyes seemed to be insanely common in the Sith world. _Just a touch_ , she promised herself. _Just enough to get that opening_.

She opened a small pipeline directly to the oppressive core of darkness in her imaginary holocron. The dark leapt at the chance to free itself from its cage and flooded her body.

Timmns watched as Jaesa threw up an overhead block and matched his strength as each tried to overpower the other, sabers hissing against each other. Her eyes slid closed and a light shiver ran through her entire body. Seeing what he thought was surrender, or at least the acceptance of one’s fate, Timmns lessened the pressure on his blade, prepared to pull back from delivering the fatal blow should her saber suddenly extinguish in defeat.

Her eyes flicked open and it all changed.

The moment Timmns saw her beautiful golden irises turn crimson, he felt sorrow invade his soul. The Jaesa Willsaam he had heard so much about was really and truly gone. The Council would have preferred that he still offer her the option of surrender had they been here, but they weren’t and the former padawan had turned from the light. He would not give her another chance. She had made her choice.

The power coursing through Jaesa was like a drug. She felt the moment her eyes changed and saw the shock on the Jedi’s face morph into carefully constructed emotionlessness with a sudden lack of pity. The dark swirled through her and she laughed breathlessly. “Silly Jedi. Did you really think you persuade me back to the light? The darkness is my home now.”

“Jaesa Willsaam,” Timms said, more for showmanship than to offer her any real chance, “I will not offer again. Surrender and return to Tython with me to be purged of your darkness.”

She growled, not fooled by his empty words. “The Jedi have done nothing for me and the Sith have made me great. And while you whittle away your life protecting the weak, I will be leading the strong to inherit the galaxy. You yourself are the embodiment of hypocrisy in the Jedi. We should be working together to unite the galaxy, yet you let yourself be restrained by meaningless titles and those worthless to us. Join me, Timmns. Join us. We will be the heralds of a new age for Force-users.”

Timmns thrust out a hand, Force-pushing her away, and readied his blade as she regained her footing. “Come on, then, _Sith_ ,” he spat. “I am ready to die for what I believe in. Are you?”

A smile curved her lips as she spun her saberstaff expertly. “I won’t have to.”

She darted forward, boosted by the Force and swung her saber, discharging gathered electricity in her blade and directing it to her foe. The Jedi’s blue blade caught it with ease, then flipped completely around, blocking one end of her saber. Jaesa dropped, spinning on her toes in a whirling strike that forced him to give ground again and pressed her attack. Strength thrummed though her veins, pleading her to let loose, but Jaesa held back. _Wait for your moment_.

There! The slight hesitation after the riposte! In a flash, Jaesa batted his lightsaber aside and loosened her hold on the darkness, power rushing through her body and down her arm to coalesce in her outstretched hand. Her irises flared blood red and tiny black veins sprouted from the corner of her eyes to web an inch of her flesh as the Jedi was lifted off the ground, his lightsaber falling to the floor as he reached both hands to claw at the invisible pressure that choked him. His eyes bulged, shining with panic and disbelief, but even the Jedi’s strength in the Force wasn’t enough to overcome her grip. A myriad of emotions crashed over her, ranging from her own satisfied victorious feeling to the Jedi’s mounting fear leaking through the Force. She drank them in, turning them immediately around into power to fuel her Force choke, the first one ever she had been able to maintain for this length of time.

The triumphant feeling was savored to its fullest extent until Jaesa clenched her fist and twisted her wrist sharply, hearing bones crack and ligaments snap as Master Timmns’ head was wrenched sharply to one side and the presence of his life in the Force stumbled to an abrupt halt. Jaesa opened her hand, allowing herself one more moment of dark side reveling as the Jedi’s body slumped to the ground before tempering her connection and controlling the darkness once more. The red glow in her eyes dimmed and faded into gold and the black veins around her eyes disappeared as well.

A sudden burst of pride through her Force bond and the sound of footprints behind her were her only warnings before arms encircled her from behind. She stiffened automatically, but relaxed just as quickly as warm lips brushed her cheek with a light kiss, prompting a relieved smile. She leaned backwards into his chest, hyper aware of the warm feeling blossoming beneath her breast.

“We'll have time to make this official and all later. For now, know that your title has been elevated to Lord of the Sith. And that I am so proud of you.” He squeezed her gently and loosened his grip enough for her to spin around in proximity. “Congratulations, Lord Willsaam.”

“Lord Willsaam,” she purred, savoring the words as her head lolled casually to the side. “I like the sound of that.”

“I'll make the formal announcement once we return to the ship. The crew will be informed of your elevated status and I will also brief them on what happened concerning Darth Ekkage. Quinn can patch us up, then Servant One should be informed that his mission has been taken care of.”

Jaesa’s eyes flashed red. “And after that?”

A small smile quirked his lips. “That depends on you, my dear.”

\--=+=--

Vette noticed something different as soon as her lord and Jaesa stepped off of their shuttle and into the spaceport. She frowned, not quite able to put his finger on it, but it was definitely there. She pushed off from the crate she was leaning against and gave a little wave as they approached.

“Hey there, my lord. Heard down the cantina grapevine something big went down in one of the old prison cells. Terrified quite a few of the senior officers, by the sound of it. Does this mean we can finally get off this creepy planet?” Vette popped a hip casually, but a wave of uneasiness came over her as she made eye contact with Jaesa, who definitely seemed different. There was an eagerness in her eyes that scared the Twi’lek more than raiding an ancient Sith tomb on an ancient Sith planet. Vette very nearly started fearing for her life as the hunger sharpened in her friend’s eyes when Lord Khryden grabbed his apprentice’s arm and said something in a low voice in her ear. Of course, Vette wasn't the world's best thief for nothing. Lip reading came as naturally to her as slicing.

To her great surprise, her lord smiled. That had been happening more and more lately. Was he getting sick?

“Stop that. Vette is off limits for a sparring partner, as is the rest of the crew until I’m sure you won’t accidentally blow a hole in the hold or murder your opponent,” he murmured lightly. “Extended time aboard the ship should fix any residual control problems you might have.”

Jaesa pouted prettily. “Is that anyone not off limits?” she groused.

A sly smile crept over his mouth. “Me. But you have to earn that right.”

Even from lengths away Vette could see the glow of Jaesa's eyes as they flared suddenly red and the Twi’lek flushed slightly.

Her lord chuckled. “Control first. Then we'll work on breaking down your residual Jedi inhibitions.”

Vette held her breath as Jaesa held his gaze, refusing to back down, as if issuing a direct challenge. Would she actually be so stupid as to challenge her lord to a duel here and now? The tension in the air crackled thick and unwavering and the blue Twi’lek tried to slow the hand moving automatically for her blaster. If a fight between the two Sith was coming, she didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire. She cast a worried glance at her lord. But at the same time, she knew she'd have to fight to defend him unless he gave her the signal to stand down. It was a strange mixture of obligation and devotion that prevented her immediate retreat. Curling one hand’s fingers over the grip on one holstered blaster, she tensed, ready to quick draw if needed.

Then Jaesa leaned over the few inches between them and placed a small kiss on the tip of his nose. She giggled. Vette’s jaw dropped. And her lord _smiled_. Not just the small teasing smile he wore when poking fun at a member of the crew, or the deadly smile when he was about to kill someone who had pissed him off, or even the fake placating smile she had witnessed him use many times when reporting to Darth Baras, but a full on _happiness_ smile.

She managed to regain her composure, snapping her mouth closed and releasing her blaster rather abruptly, all while trying to regain the sassy equilibrium that her lord expected from her. She had eyes and ears throughout the entire ship. She should have seen this coming, for the Emperor's sake! Her lord had been subtly tempting Jaesa from day one when he offered her use of his quarters at night. She had sassed him right back, and that's when Vette knew she had found a kindred spirit and she and Jaesa became fast friends. The pair’s verbal interactions were quick and full of implications, but Vette had never seen their relationship move beyond words and into physical territory in all the months Jaesa had been aboard, even though Jaesa had expressed her interest in him during private conversations with Vette. Unless this all happened rather quickly on Belsavis...Speaking of which, this was the first time she'd seen her lord actually reciprocate another’s feelings. There had been a few ladies throughout their travels, including Taunt, one of Vette’s friends from back in her smuggling days, but her lord obviously saw them as merely flings and never got emotionally invested. What was happening now had a completely different vibe. Considering the numerous subtle attempts she had made to get them together, the fact that it was actually _working_ was what startled her the most.

She averted her eyes swiftly as her lord glanced over, picking at a nail with focused intent.

“Vette,” her lord called, and she looked up, meeting his cool gaze. “Gather the crew and prepare the ship for departure. Our business here is done.”

“You got it, your Sithiness.” She snapped an informal cocky salute and practically ran back to the ship. Whatever had happened on Belsavis, she wanted to know details. Her lord most likely wouldn’t tell her, so she began plotting in her mind a way to corner Jaesa alone.

\--=+=--

“Belsavis is down one prisoner, and quite a few guards.”

Khryden paced in front of the holoterminal, his strides precise and equal. His hands clasped at the small of his back underneath the cape that flowed behind him like black shadow. There were a few noticeable burned holes in his armor that were accentuated by the sterile white of bandages wrapping the skin underneath. The wound in his side pained him the most as every agonizing step stretched the seared skin, delineated by the tight muscle in his jaw. The entire crew was gathered before him in varying degrees of standing at attention, from Vette’s slouching lean against the back wall to Quinn’s ultra-stiff impeccable posture. Jaesa eyed the Talz in the corner, still not quite to the trusting stage with the beastly creature from Hoth. Khryden had gained Broonmark’s loyalty through combat, but the rest of the crew stayed wary of the creature as he had promised no such loyalty to them specifically, only to the ‘Sith clan’, whatever that was. As a result, the Talz remained a step away from the rest of the crew during the briefing, only moving to shift his position once in a while.

“There was a slight delay concerning a clever Jedi who managed to bargain with the information that only he had to preserve his life. As this information was necessary to the mission, I left the Jedi alive until he gave up the coordinates to Darth Ekkage’s cell, then ordered Jaesa to kill him for her final trial as an apprentice.” He stopped pacing and stood in front of Jaesa. “Upon her success, I elevated her to a Lord of the Sith. She still reports to me, but shall be afforded all the respects of her station. Familiarity is at her discretion, of course.”

“My lord, congratulations,” Quinn said, bowing low. “It is ever the honor to serve such prominent Sith.”

Broonmark voiced his agreement with a low trill.

“You deserve a promotion,” Pierce remarked gruffly. “Congrats.”

Vette made a face. “Does that mean I have to call you ‘my lord’ as well? It’s gonna get confusing when you and my lord are in the same room.” She tipped a head to Khryden.

Preening slightly at the attention, Jaesa waved a hand. “Forget titles when we’re in private. And you all have permission to call me ‘Lord Jaesa’ in public. It’s casual, but not too casual. Don’t want Imperial officers thinking us Sith have lost our edge.”

She tacked on a loose smile at the end, lightening the tone.

Khryden clapped his gloved hands together. “Now that that’s covered, does anyone have any questions before I contact the Hand to update them?”

Vett raised her hand. “Yeah, does this mean we get a party? Or at least some time off? Maybe on Nar Shaddaa?” The hopeful look in her eyes was no doubt fueled by the desire to see her smuggler friends on the planet.

The Wrath shrugged his shoulders. “It depends on what the Hand requires of us next, but I did promise Jaesa some vacation time once this business with Baras is over and done with if nothing else. So we all have that to look forward to. Now if—”

Vette thrust her fists in the air. “Yes! Vacation!”

“Vacation would be nice, even if it’s just a few days,” Pierce said. “Unwinding after a tough mission is almost as important as preparing for one.”

“Are you all really so weak that you need time off from running small side missions?” Quinn scoffed. “I believe I’ve completed _twice_ the number you two have.”

Indignation flashed over Pierce’s face and he opened his mouth to respond to the jab when a sharp word from Khryden cut them off.

“Enough.” The Wrath snapped, startling them into muteness. “If you are done bickering like children, we have work to do. Stand there silently and look pretty for the holocall. Interrupt me again and lose a limb. Do something I don’t like within the next fifteen minutes and lose a finger. Am I being perfectly clear?”

There was a moment of frozen silence before gazes slid to the ground and a murmur of agreement echoed through the gathered crew.

Lord Khryden eyed them, then turned to the holoterminal. “Good. Patching through to Servant One now.”

The two pureblood figures appeared in blue, shivering over the terminal.

“The Wrath ascends,” Servant Two mutters.

Khryden clasped his hands behind his back, tapping a finger against his knuckles. “Ekkage has been taken care of.”

“Good, but there are more supports beneath Baras to knock out. Darth Vowrawn spearheads both the contingent of dissenters in the Dark Council and the battle for Corellia, and it is likely Baras will strike at him next.  Baras cares not for the fate of Corellia, and will stop at nothing to achieve his personal goals.”

“The pendulum swings with Vowrawn’s weight,” Two said solemnly.

“In an attempt to discredit Vowrawn, Baras has redirected Armageddon Battalion to a station on Hoth. He plans to keep them there, unable to assist in the fighting on Corellia, which Vowrawn had requested them for. General Griest commands the battalion and must be convinced to abandon Baras’ orders.”

“Unfortunate delay of Armageddon.” Two shook his hooded head.

The first Servant nodded once. “The grounding of Armageddon Battalion will be detrimental to both the war effort and Vowrawn’s influence should it continue. Your first order of business will be to override those orders personally and send Armageddon Battalion to Corellia. Do it quickly, and do whatever it takes.”

The hooded pureblood cleared his throat subtly.

One glanced at Two for a second before straightening, his red eyes boring into Khryden with a different kind of intensity. “Take the time afterwards to prepare, Wrath. Make any arrangements necessary because we near the end. Once your clearance to Corellia has been obtained, there will be no pause or tuning back. Vowrawn’s fate is tied to Corellia. If Vowrawn falls, so do you.”

Servant Two nodded slowly. “A new Wrath will be called.”

Chills ran down Jaesa’s spine as she realized the full force of the Servant’s words. Her gut knotted and Khryden stilled.

“It will be done.” His voice was rough, but strong. Unyielding.

_Succeed or die trying._

_Die, and they all died with him. Baras would make sure of that._

As if sensing her thoughts, Servant Two snagged her gaze suddenly, staring. She dropped her gaze almost immediately, but a feeling that she had revealed too much stuck with her.

One’s eyes flicked from Two to the Wrath’s apprentice rapidly, but he gave away nothing. “You have five days to prepare for your confrontation and final battle. We will contact you when the proper channels have been bypassed and Vowrawn has been located, then we will expect you on Corellia.”

The holoterminal flickered out and for a long minute, nobody moved.

“Quinn,” Khryden finally said, not turning around, “set course for Hoth. Pierce, you served with the general in charge of Armageddon, correct?”

“General Greist, yes sir. Good man, my lord.”

“Will he be easy to convince?”

Pierce straightened. “He’s as tough as they come, my lord. Stubborn, too.”

The Wrath nodded absently. “As expected. Quinn, what’s our ETA?”

The captain pulled out his datapad and tapped a few keys. “Seven hours, my lord.”

“Good. Pierce, suit up once we get close. You are accompanying me down to the surface. Quinn, get us there as soon as possible and let Pierce and I know when the ship is two hours away. Vette, come with me.”

He flapped his fingers in the air next to his head, gesturing the Twi’lek to follow as he strode down the hall towards his quarters. Vette glanced worriedly at Jaesa, but all the new Sith lord could do was shrug helplessly. She could get nothing of what Khryden was planning from their Force bond except iron will and determination. Vette was sweating, she could see. Terrified of what might happen alone with a Sith in a mood like this.

As her friend passed, Jaesa grabbed her arm just for a moment, the skin contact allowing her to speak privately in Vette’s mind.

_Yell, and I’ll come running._

A shiver ran through the Twi’lek’s body and she nodded, her right hand coming up to touch the edges of shock collar scars on her neck. She straightened, steeling herself, and walked into Lord Khryden’s room, the door sliding shut behind her.

Pierce and Quinn went about their work with the captain making a beeline to the bridge and the lieutenant retreating to the crew’s quarters until Jaesa was left alone standing in front of the extinguished holoterminal, the bright blue backlit buttons on its interface the only light besides the dimmed overhead bulbs. Slipping quietly into her meditation room, she folded her legs beneath her, leaning her back up against the kolto tank and let her lids drift shut.

_Hoth, then Corellia_ , she thought _. If Vowrawn falls, so do we_.

She opened herself up to the Force, letting it run though her freely, spiking emotions and washing away her pain. She channeled her fear, anger, trepidation, and the thousand other emotions begging for attention into dark healing energy, mending her burns and gashes that the kolto had cleansed underneath the bandages. Her inner self eyed the pitch-like power as it roiled within the imaginary purple holocron that contained it. It was tempting, that she could not deny. A sliver had allowed her to defeat her first Jedi solo, and that prompted her to wonder what powers the entire holocron held. Maybe it would be required to defeat Baras. Should she try it now, just in case? What if it didn’t come when she needed it?

_Temptation_ , she told herself, gritting her teeth unknowingly as the pull increased. _It’s just temptation, Jaesa. Get a hold of it!_

She lost her grip for a split second and felt the terrifying wave of black power nearly engulf her before she threw herself out of her meditation, breathing hard. _Such power… Khryden is right. If I’m not careful, it could take me over. I could lose my mind_.

She needed a rock. A hold to grab onto when the pull to succumb to the pure darkness became too much. Something to keep her grounded. Her mind pulled forth a dozen images, each discarded when they provoked little to no emotional response. Her parents, Nomen Karr, various Jedi teachers, Darth Baras— _a flash of hatred, but still not strong enough_ —, Quinn, Pierce, Vette— _a spike of affection for her friend, but not enough_ —, Broonmark— _ew, no_ —, Khryden— _Khryden_.

A blooming of such complex and strong emotion nearly took her breath away and she fixated on his image suddenly. In her mind, she recreated his strong stature, defined jawline, molten eyes.  His lightsabers clipped his belt, weighing it down over his bare hips, his arms folded cockily over defined pectoral muscles, the heat in his eyes making her hunger for something more—

Oh, stars.

Jaesa threw herself out of that image, shutting the Force bond quickly, then sagged against the kolto tank, pulse pounding and breath coming in short gasps. She pressed her knees together, fighting back a moan, and buried her head in her hands. _Well that did the trick. Although I might go insane with that image conjured in my head. At least the bond is closed for now, otherwise I’d have a hard time explaining that to him_.

It wasn’t just the fact that she wanted him that stopped her from pursuing it. Her Jedi ideals were shattered beyond repair. No other man, Sith or Jedi, made her feel the way he did. Her previous flings, especially with other apprentices or lowborn Sith Lords had the passion, but lacked the fire that real love fueled. And unlike those previous acquaintances, she wanted more from him. She didn’t want just one night. She wanted them all.

Love. She frowned, slipping back into a light meditative state. Jaesa was hesitant to say it because saying it made it that much more real, but maybe it was the truth. Maybe she did love her Sith lord.

But did he love her back? He wanted to bed her, sure, but Jaesa was holding out for something greater. She didn’t want this to be a one and done sort of deal. Should she keep denying the physicality between them and risk driving him away?

The sound of sliding doors made her open her eyes and Vette walked past her, a thoughtful look on her face. Jaesa scrambled to her feet and grabbed her friend’s arm as she passed. “You ok?”

Vette smiled and waved a dismissive hand. “Yeah, nothing happened. He just wanted to talk about a few things.”

“Then come here, I need some advice. It’s girl talk time.”

The two women retreated into Jaesa’s room and sat on the floor.

“Don’t you have chairs in here or something?” Vette groaned. “My butt’s gonna get sore.”

“I’ll be quick, I promise,” Jaesa reassured her, then hesitated. “I know you’ve said you’re not the best to ask about this sort of stuff, but you’re the only person I can ask.” She exhaled quickly. “Have you ever been in love?”

Vette froze, her eyes rounding and her mouth dropping open. “I _knew_ it! I knew something happened on Belsavis! Before, it was all: _Vette, I think I like him!_ But now, it’s all: _Vette,_ _I think I love him!_ ” She grinned hugely, dropping her chin on enlaced fingers. “Tell me everything!”

Jaesa couldn’t fight the blush that stained her cheeks. “Oh, well….ok. Here it goes.”

She related most everything that had happened, skipping over the boring stuff, but explaining the last fight in detail and concluding with her most recent meditation session. “…and so I was searching for something that would prevent drowning myself in dark side power—and Vette, I tried everything! My parents, other Sith I’ve slept with, even Darth Baras.”

“Ew.” Vette wrinkled her nose. “Never mention that again.”

“But that’s my _point_ ,” Jaesa stressed. “Even the man that ruined my life, murdered everyone I ever loved, and sent his apprentice to kill me pales in comparison to him. My hatred is strong, but this, this _affection_ I feel for him is so much more!”

Vette smiled at her, a touch sadly, and grabbed her friend’s hand. “Call it what it is, Jaesa. Call it love.”

Jaesa looked down at their conjoined fingers, suppressing a frown. “But Vette, I don’t want a fling. I want a serious relationship, but the problem is that I don’t know if he wants the same. Flirting’s fun and all, but I want more.”

The Twi’lek was silent for a moment. “Have you asked him?”

The newly promoted Sith paled. “Asked—Vette, I can barely work up enough courage to kiss him. You want me to ask him if all he wants is _sex_?!”

Vette shrugged. “Yeah? Otherwise you could wait for him to make the first move, but all powerful Sith lord or not, he’s still a man. And men are clueless when it comes to love. Trust me.”

Jaesa frowned. “Maybe you're right. Saying it is the only way to make my intentions known. I at least owe him that, instead of stringing him along like this. Thank you, Vette. You’ve been a great help. Now if you don’t mind, I need to think over my exact phrasing so I don’t screw this up.”

\--=+=--

Vette walked by the cargo bay whistling and with a giant grin on her face. Pierce looked up from where he was cleaning his rifle, a confused look crossing his face as he witnessed her joviality.

“Vette?” he called.

She popped her head back into the doorway, still grinning. “Yes?”

“Mind telling me why you’re so cheery when we’re all flying to our deaths?”

“Because! I make a great matchmaker and if I’m going to die, I’ll die happy knowing the couple I put so much effort into constructing will be together.”

Pierce narrowed his eyes, his voice adopting a mock scolding tone. “Vette. Have you been poking your nose in other people’s business again?”

Her grin turned even more unapologetic. “No more than usual!” she sang, waving a jaunty goodbye and resuming whistling as she skipped down the corridor.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next stop: Hoth. Next one might be be delayed a bit, due to the new semester starting.
> 
> Please consider leaving a comment or kudos if you liked it. It fuels my motivation to know that people are enjoying my work :)


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